The Mech Touch novel Chapter 723

"Impossible, you say?" Ves replied calmly. He turned his armored form fully to the Apprentice Mech Designer, who currently wore a lighter and smaller hazard suit. She looked very small right now. "Impossible? I used to keep hundreds of mechs with a budget the size of a nutrient pack! A mech is not supposed to be an endless abyss which gobbles up container loads of resources with nothing to show for the extravagant expenditure!"

"B-B-But Mr. Larkinson! With only a fourth of the budget left to maintain the Parallax Star, it’s impossible for us to retain the expert mech at its full operational capacity!"

Ves stepped closer to Lisbeth, prompting her to almost draw back. "Don’t spin a tale of nonsense to me. I know exactly what is going on under your leadership! The excessive spending and the pointless fabrication of spare parts that have never once been used will end immediately! In fact, I’m ordering those extra arms, legs and backpack modules to be transferred to the Beggar’s Bounty and the Linever Swan for recycling. At least that way the base materials can be put to better use."

"This can’t be allowed to happen!" Lisbeth shrieked, causing others to turn their attention to her. Her perpetual smile grew more demented and fragile by the second. "My apologies, sir, but our Venerables deserve better! How can they be expected to fight on our behalf if their mechs are are rotten and fragile as a bundle of sticks? You must reverse your decision immediately, or I will tell Venerable Xie about your tyrannical act of cruelty!"

"You can bleat all you want, you wasteful cow, but as long as I’m holding my posting, I’ll be the one to dictate your budget. If you don’t agree, you can take it up with Major Verle, but I think he won’t be amused at your demands."

Lisbeth knew she couldn’t make a good case in front of Major Verle, especially as Ves had already mentioned that the Vandals were far from a condition to sustain an excessive budget, yet she simply couldn’t adjust her mentality!

She used to be one of the most valued mech designers among the Vandals due to her valuable relationship with Venerable O’Callahan. Although the expert pilot rarely roused himself from sleep even before his last battle, the supremely skilled mech pilot always backed her up in her disputes against other mech designers.

To be robbed of his patronage and left unshielded against the storms battering her unprotected self caused her mind to become stuck in a loop. She couldn’t process this sudden deprivation of resources!

"YOU CAN’T! YOU CAN’T STRIP US OF RESOURCES! RECANT YOUR WORDS! IT’S NOT TOO LATE!"

Whatever Ves expected from the obsessive Apprentice Mech Designer, he never expected her to jump at him and grab his shoulder pauldrons with her gauntlets. She attempted to shake him back and forth, but the stiffness of the armor as well as his superior strength prevented her from jerking him around.

Though Ves could have shook her off with ease, he decided that Lisbeth required a firmer adjustment. He wanted to hit her with a lesson on authority that she wouldn’t forget. Punching in her face might feel good to him, but that would only breed unnecessary resentment on her part.

"Ketis!"

"Yes, teacher?" Ketis responded as she approached with an inquisitive expression. Her hybrid alien appearance as well as her intimidating pirate armor with its tribal markings and bone accessories made it clear that she didn’t belong to the Vandals. The looming greatsword behind the Swordmaiden’s back further hit home her savage upbringing.

Lisbeth whimpered as the Swordmaiden stalked closer. A sheltered mech designer like her had never been exposed to the rough side of the frontier. Her smile grew brittle until there was barely a curve left in her mouth!

"Miss Lisbeth Eta-Denmersken has been rather lax in her fitness." Ves facetiously stated. "She’s been too comfortable in her little kingdom here. I think she can use some toughening up, don’t you agree?"

Fortunately, Ketis caught on to his game. She enthusiastically nodded. "Uh-huh. I’m always telling you that a mech designer who can’t even chop through someone’s neck with a sword isn’t worth a single damn. Look at her arms! Even underneath her hazard suit, I can see they’re practically like wooden sticks! I’m surprised she’s strong enough to lift up a multitool. I’m sure her bones will break if she picks up anything heavier."

"Well, I’ve got good news for you, Lisbeth." He grinned and slapped Lisbeth on her shoulder pauldron, causing her to flinch. Ves firmly held her in his grasp and pushed her forward until she almost bumped into Ketis. "Our guest designer from Lydia’s Swordmaidens is a veritable warrior! You won’t find a stronger female mech designer among the Vandals. As someone who trained to be a vicious pirate since her adoption by the Swordmaidens, she’s uniquely suited to shore up your fitness. Ketis!"

"What’s your orders, sir?" The little devil replied with a grin and a mock salute.

"Give Miss Eta-Denmersksen a taste of the famous Swordmaiden training regime. Mind you, don’t blast her with the complete set of exercises you insane women go through each day. However, I expect you to leave her tired and breathless at the end of the day."

"Sure thing, Mr. Larkinson! I’ve got lots of experience bringing my little sisters up to shape! Is this a one-time thing or..?"

"Keep training her during our stay aboard the Gorgon’s Gaze. It is best if you can compress her training session a bit. Don’t take all day. While I can’t show you the inner workings of our expert mechs, I still have a lot of other stuff to show you around."

"Hah! I’ll look forward to it!" Ketis replied before grabbing hold of Lisbeth’s arm. The poor mech designer simply couldn’t resist the Swordmaiden’s forceful pull. "As for you, Lisbeth, we’re going to have a great time together! It’s been a while since I last put a new recruit through boot camp! Where’s the nearest sparring ring?"

A bubbly Ketis dragged a panicked but smiling Lisbeth out of the hangar bay. The disparity between the two’s strength couldn’t be made more clear.

Ves chuckled a bit at the sight, causing Chief Keys, Lieutenant Koltov and the other members of the greeting party to take a very cautious glance at him. He met their curious stares with a confident grin.

"What is it? Do you have something to say about how I’ve exercised my authority?"

"N-No, sir!" Chief Keys quickly shook his head.

Koltov appeared as if she wanted to get in a word, but she eventually dropped what she wanted to say.

Even if they kicked up a fuss, Ves expected no repercussions. He knew that as long as he acted confidently and without remorse, his fellow Vandals would accept his actions no matter how far they crossed the line.